The retail group LIDL will be focusing on proactive communication in future. Following the success of its 'LIDL Dreamteam 2006' trainee campaign and further joint projects last year, LIDL has now decided to engage MEDIA CONSULTA as its lead agency. The Berlin-based agency group will be assisting the discount chain operator in the design and implementation of its corporate communications, including public relations, advertising and media, TV production, event management and online communication.

"One of the main reasons why we chose MEDIA CONSULTA is the agency's integrated communication competence, which means it can design and implement all measures on an in-house basis," explained LIDL's spokesperson Thomas Oberle.

LIDL's previous communication approach of using product-oriented advertising is to be supplemented in future. "We will be talking about ourselves to a greater extent, giving people a clear idea of who the LIDL company is and what it stands for," said Oberle. LIDL is, in fact, a very corporate social responsibility-oriented company. Every year it provides vocational training to several thousand youngsters, giving them career opportunities and a future perspective. Year after year, LIDL also creates new and secure jobs.

Its discount supermarkets stock a comprehensive range of high-quality and healthy products, making a valuable contribution to healthy diet. The over 2,700 LIDL stores throughout Germany are conveniently located and consumers will find both fair trading and organic products on their shelves.

"It's so important to eat a healthy diet and exercise. And the earlier you start, the greater the benefits," said Oberle. That's why the first communication measure in the run up to the World Cup is the German-wide LIDL FOOTBALL CUP. It is being designed and implemented by MEDIA CONSULTA's specialist agencies, MC Event and MC Sport & Entertainment. The tournament started end of April at a LIDL store in Berlin. Children and youngsters aged between nine and twelve will be taking part in the LIDL FOOTBALL CUP at 40 different venues throughout Germany. National TV commercials are currently being aired on RTL, RTL II, Super RTL, Kabel 1 and VIVA to promote it. Radio commercials, billboard advertising and posters at the LIDL stores round off the cross-media advertising activities. The main target groups are school kids, their families and local LIDL customers.

"We want to provide enjoyable sports entertainment for the youngsters in the run up to the World Cup. At the same time, we want to show them that healthy eating and exercise can be fun," said Oberle. MC has secured the support of the popular Bundesliga goalkeeper Hans-Jörg Butt (Bayer Leverkusen), celebrity chef Ralf Zacherl and pop singer Marc Terenzi for the LIDL FOOTBALL CUP. The organisation 'aid Information Service, Consumer Protection, Food, Agriculture' also supports the project as cooperation partner.

MC's CEO Harald Zulauf is clearly delighted that the agency has won its fifth major new account this year. "We have been rewarded again for our professional coordination and implementation of integrated communication programmes with the assistance of our specialist MC agencies," he said.

Background information on the LIDL FOOTBALL CUP

The LIDL FOOTBALL CUP travels to venues all over Germany as part of a road show. By the time the final takes place on 3 June, over 2,300 young footballers in 592 four-aside teams will have battled it out on LIDL store car parks throughout Germany for the LIDL FOOTBALL CUP and attractive prizes. These prizes include a holiday at a football camp, original World Cup footballs and shirts, as well as season tickets for the winning team to their favourite Bundesliga club. The players will be wearing fair trading strips and T-shirts, and all LIDL Cup footballs will have the TransFair seal. There will be a FOOD BAR at each of the matches serving delicious and healthy snacks based on recipes that were developed by celebrity chef Ralf Zacherl especially for the LIDL Cup.

The first match and the final in Berlin is accompanied by an infotainment programme featuring celebrity guests such as pop star Marc Terenzi. Goalkeeper Hans-Jörg Butt presented the largest leather football in the world, measuring two metres in diameter, at the very first match. At the final, Ralf Zacherl will give a live cooking demonstration on the show stage. All the recipes are printed on flyers for visitors to take home with them.

A website (www.lidlfussballcup.de) containing information and team registration documents was designed and programmed by MC Interactive. MEDIA CONSULTA TV & Film Production created the TV and radio commercials entirely in-house. MC Advertising was responsible for the creative strategy, media strategy and design.